I got a cold call from the Sydney Symphony Orchestra a few days ago and was half way through fobbing the woman off – ‘my toaster’s on fire’ – when she mentioned that I still had $180 credit with them. She wondered if I’d prefer to spend it or donate it.

Spend, spend, spend I trilled, thrilled, and instantly no longer grumpy.

I vaguely remember cancelling culture, Beethoven, I think, back when COVID was a thing that actually shut things down. Like the opera house. That was where my $180 credit came from. Now COVID hospitalisations are at the highest level since the pandemic began but we don’t care. Not even Lock Down Dan cares.

So, we’re off to see Beethoven again on August 10 in a no-doubt packed, refurbished opera house. We’ll wear masks, boats against the current, and hope for the best.

My boss at work and another staff member have COVID. Our next door neighbour has it. Judging by the WE ARE HIRING signs on every door of every café around here, so does most of the suburb.

We’re planning a road trip in our BRAND NEW CAR next week so we’re taking extra precautions to stay healthy – takeaway coffee only, avoiding gym (and work) this week, and drinking prophylactic wine.

We’re in an increasingly small cohort, so far, that hasn’t had COVID. I’m unsure whether it’s retirement or red wine that’s working, so I’ll recommend both to you. And masks.

Robinson spent this morning on the red couch in the sunroom muttering darkly about loading jpg photo files onto her passport visa application. Apparently it’s impossible, which doesn’t surprise me.

On the bright side, we’re not going anywhere. Not via Sydney Airport. And not with QANTARSEHOLE Joyce & Co.

It was a surprise to me to see that Robinson has had six passports, over the decades, beginning when she was Miss Robinson (Colour of eyes: brown) in 1973. What were the chances via all those passports and travel stamps that she’d find her way around the world to me?

Pretty good, I reckon. That was in the stars, not the visas.